Contents

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

What it is, what it is. It is this.

Academic publications

The best collection of academic study abstracts is here.
(note that we should snatch this and put a copy somewhere, since we have no clue who this dropbox account belongs to or how long access will stay stable. The file has credit within, so I don't think it's evil. I will try to remember to email the creator and make sure he has no issues with same)

There are quite a few other abstracts from more recent work that aren't included here, including the stuff from the most recent big neuro yearly powwow in DC. (Kelly, do you still have the links to those papers from the military guys at Wright-Patterson?)

Anecdotes

link to reddit thread here.

Spec

The basic circuit for TDCS is ridiculously simple. We are creating a 2ma DC current and running it through 2 inch square or round electrodes that are then connected to the human body. There are various configurations that can be used to place the pads, but the most common is placing the active electrode over the area of the skull corresponding to the brain region to be effected and the other electrode, called the return electrode, is placed on the opposite shoulder. Using the anode, or positive electrode, over the brain will stimulate the target region. The cathode, or negative electrode, will retard the brain region. A standard simulation time in most research is 20 minute sessions. The effect, depending on the type of stimulation and region seems to last up to an hour after the stimulation is removed. Again, depending on the type and location of the stimulation, repeated exposure daily for up to 9 sessions can cause the effects to persist for 30 days or longer in depression studies.

The simplest working circuit for this is a pair of 9v batteries in series, an LM334 current limiter and a fixed resistor across the LM334 reference and output to set the 2ma limit. A better circuit involves replacing the fixed resistor with a 200 ohm pot and adding an ammeter anywhere in series. One of the better designs of this nature is located here.